1. Field of Invention
The present invention is generally related to digital content providers. More specifically, the present invention is related to wireless access of event related information and content via a portable device.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Websites such as Fandango.com™ and MovieTickets.com™ allow users to view movie trailers, movie reviews, and movie schedules. Users are also able to purchase tickets online at these websites, wherein the purchased tickets can be picked up at the box office prior to the movie by using a form of ID (such as the credit card that was used to make the reservation) or a transaction confirmation number.
FIG. 1 illustrates a general prior art method 100 associated with purchasing movie tickets at a location other than the movie theater. The two common scenarios associated with such prior art methods include allowing users to purchase tickets either over the Internet or over a telephone. In the first scenario, users access a website (such as Fandango.com or MovieTickets.com) 102 over a network (such as the Internet) to request movie related information. In the second scenario, users access a communication center over a telephone and access movie related information 104. Steps 106 through 112 of FIG. 1 illustrate steps common to both scenarios.
In step 106, users identify a theater of interest, a movie of interest playing in the theater of interest, and a convenient showtime for the movie of interest. Next, in step 108, users select a method of payment (usually a charge card) and perform a financial transaction for purchasing tickets for the movie of interest. Upon successful completion of the financial transaction, a confirmation number and instructions regarding how and where to collect the tickets are provided to the user.
In one instance, users are instructed to collect the tickets at a kiosk located at the movie theater of interest. Upon arrival at the kiosk, the user is either instructed to insert the charge card 108 that was used to make the financial transaction for purchasing the tickets or is instructed to enter the confirmation number. Upon authentication, the kiosk prints out the tickets for the movie of interest 110, which are then collected by the user.
Although the above-mentioned first scenario is convenient for ordering movie tickets, it requires users to have access to a computer that is capable of being connected to a network such as the Internet (via a network interface device communicating with a hub/router or a modem). The second scenario, on the other hand, restricts users to use an aural interface implemented in conjunction with a telephone.
One of the problems associated with the first scenario is the necessity of a router/hub or a telephone line to be physically nearby, so that a physical connection can be made. One alternative in prior art communication systems has been to use wireless network devices (such as a wireless network interface card) that can access the router/hub without a physical connection.
One popular method of implementing a wireless connection is based upon the IEEE 802.11 standard. 802.11 refers to a family of specifications developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for wireless local area network (LAN) technology. 802.11 specifies an over-the-air interface between a wireless client and a base station or between two wireless clients. There are several specifications in the 802.11 family, some of which are described below:                802.11—applies to wireless LANs providing 1 or 2 Mbps transmission in the 2.4 GHz band using either frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) or direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS).        802.11a—an extension to 802.11 that applies to wireless local area networks (LANs) and provides up to 54 Mbps in the 5 GHz band. 802.11a uses an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing encoding scheme rather than FHSS or DSSS.        802.11b—This is also referred to as 802.11 High rate or Wi-Fi (for wireless fidelity) and was formed as a ratification to the original 802.11 standard, allowing wireless functionality comparable to the Ethernet. This is an extension to 802.11 that applies to wireless LANs and provides 11 Mbps transmission (with fallback to 5.5, 2, and 1 Mbps) in the 2.4 GHz band. Transmission in the 802.11b standard is accomplished via DSSS.        802.11 g—applies to wireless LANs and provides 20+ Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band.        
The most popular of the above standards is the 802.11b. One problem associated with this standard is that the signal strength fades away as a function of distance and, as a result, the data rate falls back to 5.5, 2, or 1 Mbps, depending on the distance from the Wi-Fi router/hub and the strength of the signal.
Returning to the discussion of FIG. 1, a computer equipped with a wireless network interface card can be conveniently used to order movie tickets, but the computer has to operate within a certain radius for it to be functional. Thus, if one were outside their residence or outside the optimal radius, they would have to use a telephone, as described in the second scenario, to order the movie tickets. But, as mentioned earlier, this is a pure aural interface which lacks the ease of a visual interface. Furthermore, prior art systems implementing functionality similar to that of FIG. 1 do not offer content that can be directly downloaded wirelessly onto a portable device not operatively linked to the Internet.
The following references provide for a general description of digital content providers that allows digital content to be downloaded. But, none of the references disclose a portable device that allows for the purchase of event tickets and associated digital content (e.g., related to a movie of interest) based upon wireless interaction.
The U.S. patent to Schulhof et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,442), assigned to Information Highway Media Corporation, provides a system for distributing subscription and on-demand audio programming. Disclosed is a system for downloading digital audio data onto a portable audio storage medium and listening to it at a desired time. The portable audio storage medium is capable of high-speed data transfer that can be downloaded from such systems as a television cable system, satellite, or fiber optic telephone link.
The published U.S. patent application to Tsukamoto (2001/0,013,120A1), assigned to NEC Corporation, provides for a digital contents rental system. Disclosed is a process that consists of a customer visiting the store with a portable storage unit, such as a magnetic disk. The user may then choose from a plurality of digital content and download desired content onto his/her storage medium.
The published U.S. patent application to Ekkel (2001/0,037,360A1), assigned to Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V., provides for a data service at a transit terminal. Disclosed is a system that provides information content to a user at a repository. While a consumer is traveling, a data service offers information availability that can be downloaded by the user to a storage device and viewed offline. Using a mobile storage medium, such as a memory card or a magnetic disk, the individual may use the highly customizable service to download electronic information content from a host repository or server.
The published U.S. patent application to Sibley (2001/0,039,662A1), assigned to Hughes Electronics Corporation, provides for a digital over-the-air communication system for use with digital terrestrial broadcasting system. Disclosed is a system for distributing electrical content using digital over-the-air communication. The process consists of a network operation center uplinking electronic content packages to a satellite, a broadcast center receiving the electronic content from the satellite, and a user device receiving the digital content via a digital channel generated by the broadcast center.
The published U.S. patent application to Ramachandran et al. (2001/0,044,747A1), assigned to Diebold, Incorporated, provides a system and method dispensing digital information from an automated transaction machine. Disclosed is a service that offers digital content information to a user through an automated transaction machine.
It should be noted that there appears to be no teaching in these references for using a portable device to perform transactions related to event tickets (directly or based upon an auction) or to purchase digital content related to the event based upon advertisements or a pre-stored profile. Thus, whatever the precise merits, features, and advantages of the above-cited references, none of them achieve or fulfills the benefits of the present invention.